Standard arrows and dots are fine for basic sliders. But if you want to create a premium, app-like experience, you need to upgrade how users interact with your content. From keyboard control to mousewheel scrolling, these advanced navigation tricks will set your site apart.

Here is how to implement them using Div Render Container Slider for Elementor.

1. Enable Keyboard Navigation

Why: Accessibility is crucial. Power users and those relying on assistive technology appreciate being able to navigate sliders with the Left and Right arrow keys.

How: In the Slider Settings, toggle Keyboard Control to Yes. This feature typically activates only when the slider is in the viewport, preventing it from hijacking the page scroll when the user is reading other content.

2. Mousewheel Scrolling

Why: Horizontal scrolling websites are trendy, but standard vertical mouse wheels don’t scroll them naturally. Enabling Mousewheel Control translates the vertical wheel spin into horizontal movement, making horizontal portfolios feel intuitive.

How: In the Slider Settings, toggle Mousewheel Control to Yes. This works best on Full Width / Full Height sections where the slider takes up the whole screen.

3. Add a “Grab” Cursor

Why: Users need to know an element is interactive. If a slider looks like a static grid, they might not try to swipe it. A “Grab” cursor (the open hand icon) is the universal web signal for “You can drag this”.

How: In the Slider Settings (usually under Advanced), toggle Grab Cursor to Yes. When the user hovers, the cursor becomes an open hand. When they click and drag, it becomes a closed grabbing hand.

4. Custom SVG Arrow Icons

Why: The default chevron or triangle icons might not match your brand’s unique design language.

How: If the plugin doesn’t offer an icon picker, use CSS to replace them:

“`css
selector .cse-button-next {
background-image: url(‘your-custom-arrow.svg’);
background-repeat: no-repeat;
background-position: center;
}
/* Hide the default icon */
selector .cse-button-next svg {
display: none;
}
“`

5. Style the “Active” Dot

Why: The user needs to know exactly where they are in the sequence. Making the active dot significantly different (larger, different color) helps with orientation.

How:

  • Basic: Go to Style > Pagination and set a distinct Active Color (e.g., your brand color) vs the inactive color (light gray).
  • Advanced (Scale Effect): Add this CSS to make the active dot grow:
    “`css
    selector .swiper-pagination-bullet-active {
    transform: scale(1.5);
    transition: transform 0.3s ease;
    }
    “`